Bobby Beale (EastEnders)


Bobby Beale is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, who made his first appearance in episode 2557, originally broadcast on 24 July 2003. The character was originally played by Kevin Curran as an infant. Prior to his introduction, Bobby's paternity is at the centre of a storyline and is resolved when Ian Beale is revealed as Bobby's father. His mother, Laura Beale, is killed off in 2004 and Bobby's stepmother, Jane Beale, later adopts Bobby. Curran was replaced by Alex Francis in 2007. Following Jane's departure, Bobby finds a mother figure in Mandy Salter and is upset when she leaves.
When Francis decided to concentrate on his schooling, the character was recast again, with Rory Stroud in the role. Producers decided to recast the character again in 2014 and the character did not appear for six months to aid this transition. When he returns, Bobby was portrayed by Eliot Carrington. Bobby was placed at the centre of the "Who Killed Lucy Beale?" story following his return and was later revealed to be the killer. The story continued until show bosses decided to write out the character, while he was in prison. Bobby departed in episode 5303, first broadcast on 17 June 2016. Carrington reprised the role in 2017 for a cameo appearance in episode 5582, originally broadcast on 17 October, as part of Jane's exit from the series. The character's return was confirmed in April 2019, with the role recast again, to actor Clay Milner Russell. He returned in the second episode broadcast in 13 June 2019. Following his return, Bobby was used to explore the Islamic faith.

Storylines

When Laura Beale gives birth to Bobby, her estranged husband Ian Beale refuses to acknowledge the possibility of being Bobby's father because he had a vasectomy prior to Bobby's conception; also, Laura had been unfaithful with Garry Hobbs. When Bobby needs a blood transfusion, Ian is proved to be Bobby's father and Laura names Ian as Bobby’s father when she registers his birth. Ian does not find out until Pat Evans finds the birth certificate after Laura's death. Afterwards, Ian brings Bobby to live with him and his half-siblings, Peter Beale and Lucy Beale. Ian's partner Jane Collins, joins the household; she becomes Bobby's stepmother and values him as her own child, increasingly so following an emergency hysterectomy.
Ian enters Bobby into a talent contest but cheats by enlisting another child to sing while Bobby mimes. When Ian's deceit is revealed, Bobby is left exposed and upset. Jane leaves temporarily and Bobby becomes troubled. When Ian catches Bobby bullying his cousin Tiffany Butcher and confronts him, Bobby shouts that he wants his mum. He disappears from school to look for Jane, and it is Jane who finds him. She formally adopts him. Bobby and Ian plan a surprise 40th-birthday party for her, but when they see her kissing a man named Martin, Ian's reaction leads Jane to divorce him, leaving Walford to protect Bobby from their acrimonious arguments. In August, Bobby is misinformed of Jane's death after Ian starts telling people he is a widower. Bobby is upset so Ian tells him that he was only joking and calls Jane to prove that she is alive. When Mandy Salter moves in with them, she and Bobby start to bond but Bobby still visits Jane, and she briefly returns to Walford prior to accepting a catering job in Wales. When Mandy dumps Ian, he suffers a nervous breakdown and goes missing, leaving Bobby in Lucy's care. Several weeks later Ian returns after having been living homeless, scaring Bobby with his unkempt appearance.
Bobby and Ian visit family in America. Soon after returning, Bobby takes a romantic interest in Tiffany. When Tiffany's mother, Bianca Butcher, trashes Ian's new restaurant, Ian agrees not to go to the police in exchange for Bobby and Tiffany not seeing each other anymore. Tiffany and Bobby then start meeting in secret. When Bobby participates in a school spelling competition competing against Tiffany, it is revealed that they have broken up. Bobby is delighted when Jane returns to Walford and plans to buy into Ian's restaurant.
The Beale family are distraught when Lucy is murdered. After Jane breaks down in Ian's arms, they sleep together and Ian hopes they will reconcile. He tells Bobby they are getting back together, but Jane is annoyed and shouts at Ian. When Bobby tries to intervene, an angry Ian tells him he will never be as good as Lucy. Jane decides to leave Walford with Bobby. They depart abruptly, briefly returning for Lucy's funeral in May. In November Jane returns to report that Bobby has gone missing. When found in Walford, Bobby says that he wants to move back to Albert Square. Jane agrees, but later she's concerned when she finds a casefile which Bobby has compiled with the intention of solving Lucy's murder.
On the night of Jane and Ian's remarriage, it is revealed in a flashback episode that Bobby had accidentally killed Lucy ten months before, after attacking her with a jewellery box out of frustration at her actions. Jane tells a heartbroken Ian, Peter, and Cindy that she killed Lucy, but Ian realises that she is lying and that Bobby is the culprit. Jane admits that she had moved Lucy's body, and convinced Bobby that he had not caused Lucy's death. The Beale family then agree to keep the circumstances of Lucy's death a secret from Bobby, the police, and the residents of Walford. Peter later makes peace with Bobby before emigrating to New Zealand.
Afterwards, Bobby continuously walks in between Ian and Jane's conversations about him killing Lucy, where they nervously shake it off and tell him they were discussing something else. When Bobby's uncle Ben Mitchell is arrested for Lucy's murder, Jane reveals to Ian that she kept the phone and purse that Ben stole from her. Bobby soon finds them and takes them to the police station, but is stopped by Ben's father Phil Mitchell who sees the objects and takes Bobby back home. Phil demands of Jane where she got the objects, and as he threatens her, Bobby brandishes a golf club and threatens Phil. Ian rushes in and takes the club from Bobby. Ben is soon released when Lucy's former love interest Max Branning is arrested for the killing. Now convinced that Max killed Lucy, Bobby tries to smash his car with a brick, but is stopped by Cindy and taken home, where she berates him as nothing more than a "stupid little boy". Bobby loses his temper and pushes Cindy as Jane walks in, causing Cindy to graze her head and land where Lucy died. Cindy snaps at Ian when Bobby leaves the room, and her words convince Jane to confess to Carol the truth of Lucy's death. Left alone, Cindy then tells Liam that Bobby had killed Lucy. Bobby is increasingly confused by Jane's behaviour but the revealing video message Cindy sends him is opened by Sharon Mitchell and deleted by Ian.
Bobby is furious when his grandmother Kathy Sullivan returns to Walford and Ian and Jane decide to move her into Bobby's bedroom and move Bobby into Lucy's old bedroom. Jane catches Bobby trying to swap the rooms back in secret, and a physical scuffle ensues, which results in Bobby pushing Jane down the stairs. After she regains consciousness, Kathy arrives and Jane lies that she tripped and fell when helping Bobby move the last items from his bedroom. However, after hearing Kathy and Jane talking later, Bobby accidentally reveals to Kathy that he pushed Jane down the stairs, leaving Kathy shocked at his violent streak. Bobby starts a feud with Sharon's son, Dennis Rickman Jnr, which escalates when Bobby cruelly kills Dennis 's pet spider. Sharon tells Kathy that Bobby is evil and needs help, and Kathy tells Sharon that Bobby pushed Jane down the stairs, so Sharon decides she will report Bobby to the police about Lucy's killing but agrees to wait until after Christmas. Dennis tells Bobby that he killed Lucy, having overheard it from Sharon and Phil. Ian and Jane soon realise that Bobby knows the truth, and Ian does a deal with Phil to stop Sharon going to the police. Bobby then tells Ian what he knows and Ian confirms it is true. Jane then decides they should go to the police, as they are no longer protecting Bobby from the truth, but Ian comes up with another plan to help Bobby's anger issues and the family agree to send him to boarding school. He leaves late in January, after Ian bribes the school to take him early.
Bobby returns home from school for the holidays, happy having won a hockey award. Ian decides against selling the family restaurant when he comes under pressure from the market traders, which means they cannot afford to continue paying Bobby's school fees. Bobby overhears Jane talking about this, so he angrily smashes her car wing mirror with his hockey stick. The next day, Jane catches Bobby packing a bag, and he says he knows what Jane has done and is returning to the school. She stops him leaving and when she goes to call Ian on the phone, Bobby strikes the back of her head with his hockey stick; she falls and he hits her twice more, leaving her critically injured. He then goes to The Queen Victoria public house and tells Ian that he killed Jane as he killed Lucy, in earshot of everyone in the pub. Ian attempts to get him away but Mick Carter stops him, and Ian accompanies Jane in the ambulance, denying Bobby access. He is later arrested by PC Julian Walsh after confessing to attacking Jane. He later confesses to DS Howard South that he killed Lucy and reveals to DI Samantha Keeble that he has the murder weapon in his school locker. He is released pending charge for Lucy's murder. Ian rebukes him sharply but Bobby seems genuinely upset about Jane and says that by confessing, he is seeking help. Bobby is later charged with unlawful killing and denied bail by the Youth Court judge. He is kept in a youth detention centre until a preliminary hearing in Crown Court the following week. In court, Bobby pleads guilty to causing grievous bodily harm upon Jane with intent, and unlawfully killing Lucy. He is given a custodial sentence of three years for killing Lucy and one year for the attack on Jane, with both sentences to run concurrently. He feels confident he can be released when Ritchie informs him of potential to appeal, but following Jane's wishes, Ian convinces Bobby to avoid doing so, saying that he needs to accept what he did and carry out his punishment like he deserves. When Jane wants to visit Bobby, Ian tells her that Bobby does not want to see them.
Ian visits Bobby off screen to inform him of Steven's death and Jane being injured in a fire. When Ian returns from the visit he informs Kathy that he is disappointed that Bobby did not seem to respond to the news the way he expected and he walked out the visiting room without saying a word. The following month, Max threatens Jane into leaving Walford. However, Kathy's rapist James Willmott-Brown forces Max to ensure that Jane leaves without Ian. Therefore, Max shows Jane a video of Bobby being harassed by someone he does not recognise in his cell, and threatens to harm Bobby if Jane does not leave Walford alone.
Sixteen months later, Ian receives a letter saying that Bobby will be released in a matter of months, but he believes that Bobby will be better off with Jane, however, Kathy encourages Ian to tell Peter that Bobby is coming home and to be a father to Bobby and bring him back to Walford. Bobby is later released from prison and greeted by Kathy at home. He is not welcomed by other residents and is threatened by Max, who was wrongly convicted of Lucy's murder. Max soon realises that Bobby is a scared child and remorseful for his actions, so welcomes him to the community. Bobby meets with Imran, a friend from the Young Offenders Unit, who gifts Bobby a Quran and a prayer mat because he is converting to Islam. Bobby begins working at his father's restaurant, where he befriends Iqra Ahmed. After realising that Bobby has converted, she invites him to the Eid celebrations at her house.

Creation and development

In December 2003, Neil Wilkes of Digital Spy revealed a forthcoming "baby bombshell" storyline involving Garry Hobbs torn between Laura Beale and Lynne Hobbs. Garry mistakenly believes that Laura's unborn child is his but it is in fact Ian Beale's who is oblivious to this information. It was then confirmed that Laura was to be killed in an "explosive exit" after she comes clean with both Garry and Ian. An EastEnders insider said in May 2004 "Garry's grown to love Bobby despite all the trouble caused by his night of passion with Ian's wife Laura". In July 2007, Laurie Brett who plays Jane Collins said that Bobby will start becoming "a bit of a handful". In December 2009. a writer for the Sunday Mail said that when Bobby went missing, it made viewers feel sorry for Ian for a change. In February 2010, Woodyatt said that Bobby's character was a fail-safe option if the live episode of EastEnders went wrong saying "We've all got our little strategies in case it goes wrong. I'm going upstairs to check on Bobby. Steve Mac is going to say, 'I've had enough of this' and just walk out." When Nicola Stapleton reprises her role as Mandy Salter, she said that there a part of Mandy that wants to be maternal as she gets on well with Bobby, who becomes her "little mate". In January 2013, after leaving EastEnders, Laurie Brett said "I would never say never to going back, as I loved playing Jane. She's Bobby's mum and it will always be that way."
Digital Spy revealed on 31 January 2013 that Alex Francis departed from EastEnders to "concentrate more on school commitments". The executive producer of EastEnders, Lorraine Newman, said of Francis' departure "Alex has been a highly valued member of the EastEnders cast and we wish him the best for the future." The role of Bobby was recast to Rory Stroud and started appearing as Bobby from 1 March 2013. In April 2013, when Ben Hardy is recast as Bobby's brother Peter Beale, he said "Ian's wonderful relationship with Denise and the inclusion of Lucy, Peter and Bobby in the household will reinvigorate the clan with vibrancy and energy. I am really looking forward to seeing them all together on screen." Additionally, in June 2013, upon the announcement that Bobby's stepsister, Cindy Williams, would return to the programme, new actress Mimi Keene said "with Peter, Lucy Beale, Bobby and Cindy to contend with, it'll be a lively household".

Third recast, Lucy's murder and departure

Producers decided to recast the character again in 2014 from Stroud to child actor Eliot Carrington. Carrington was chosen to play Bobby because producers wanted an actor with "emotional depth". Bobby departs the series with Jane in May 2014, marking Stroud's final appearance in the role. Six months later, the character returned with Carrington now in the role. At the time, the Beale family were at the centre of the "Who Killed Lucy Beale?" storyline, a whodunit plot following the murder of Bobby's half-sister Lucy, which leads to the show's thirtieth anniversary episodes. A flashback episode, which features the reveal of Lucy's killer, was commissioned as part of the anniversary episodes. Executive producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins wanted the reveal to be different to previous whodunit reveals which revealed the character in one line. He told Mark Wilson of The Guardian that the reveal of Lucy's killer would be "more complicated" and would involve multiple conversations. Minimal people knew about the identity of Lucy's killer to avoid any leaks with more members of the cast and crew being informed over the course of the storyline.
In the flashback episode, Bobby is revealed as the murderer with Jane hiding his secret. The character had not been part of the official list of suspects, but Treadwell-Collins warned that any character could be the killer. He confirmed that another character was originally the killer, while he had considered making Jane and Cindy the murderers. Story producer Alex Lamb then suggested making Bobby the murderer during a discussion with Treadwell-Collins, series producer Sharon Batten and script producer Manpreet Dosanjh after a story conference. They chose a family member as a culprit because they wanted to relate the story to the show's original premise: a "kitchen sink drama" focusing on family. Treadwell-Collins explained that he wanted the story to be "emotional and come from the heart". The story team intertwined Bobby's recast with the story. Treadwell-Collins commented, "If you look at the pieces now, Jane took Bobby away! We cleverly, I hope, seeded everything." Bobby's attack on Lucy was not filmed, which the executive producer said was a "conscious decision" because he thought it would be "too much" for a child actor.
Treadwell-Collins sought permission from Carrington's father before agreeing to make Bobby the murderer and told Mark Jefferies of the Daily Mirror that if he had objected to the story, he planned to recast the character again. He informed Carrington of the twist on the evening of 16 February 2015, three days before the live reveal, to gauge a response. Carrington was pleased with the twist and thought it made sense for Jane to hide Bobby's secret. Treadwell-Collins praised Carrington, calling him "a very intelligent little boy and very emotionally mature". Bywater, who portrays Lucy, was surprised by the twist, having discovered during rehearsals on the morning of the episode.
Producers then placed the character at the centre of a subsequent story for the Beale family as they try to maintain the secret. Treadwell-Collins wanted to continue the story and compared the twist to the novel We Need to Talk About Kevin, which is about a teenage killer. Bobby is unaware that he caused the death of his sister, which Treadwell-Collins thought was important because he did not want to make a child an aware murderer. The story team wanted to explore whether the character is evil and how Ian and Jane would respond to that situation. The story continued to be explored until show bosses decided to conclude the storyline. After attacking Jane with a hockey stick, Bobby admits it was him because he didn’t want to leave his old school, he is arrested by the police for Assault occasioning in Actual Bodily Harm against Jane.
As Bobby is being interviewed by the police, he admits he killed Lucy, and the police go into further investigations against him. Bobby is then charged with her murder and Jane's attack. In scenes originally broadcast in June 2016, the storyline ends as Bobby is sentenced to four years imprisonment for Grevious Bodily Harm with Intent and Murder: three years for Lucy's murder, and one year for Jane's attack. This marks Carrington's departure from the series and he leaves in episode 5303, first broadcast on 17 June 2016.
Jane was written out of the series in October 2017. As part of Brett's exit from the serial, Carrington filmed a cameo appearance as Bobby and he appears in episode 5582, originally broadcast on 17 October. In the scene, Bobby is featured on footage, filmed by a fellow prisoner, and shown to Jane by Max Branning as a threat.

Reintroduction and Islam

The character was referenced in scenes first broadcast in February 2019 as Ian receives a letter about Bobby's release date, sparking speculation that he could return. In April 2019, Laura-Jayne Tyler of Inside Soap confirmed that Bobby would be reintroduced to EastEnders during that year for "an explosive story". She did not rule out Carrington reprising the role.
On 3 June 2019, it was confirmed that the role had been recast with actor Clay Milner Russell now in the role. Bobby returns in episode 5937, originally broadcast on 13 June 2019, after being released from prison and is greeted by his grandmother, Kathy Beale. The show's executive producer, Jon Sen, expressed his excitement at the casting, commenting, "Clay's an exciting new talent with a charisma and an intensity that injects a new energy into the fascinating character of Bobby Beale". He added that Bobby's return would have repercussions for other characters.
Following his return, producers placed Bobby in a new story exploring Islamic faith. The character decides to convert after meeting someone, Imran, in prison who encourages him to make peace with himself and the past. Bobby is subsequently portrayed as exploring his faith while receiving mixed reactions from the community. EastEnders worked with the charity Muslim Youth Helpline on the story and aimed to portray "the positive impact of religion". Sen expressed his delight at tackling the subject and working with the Muslim Youth Helpline. He explained that he wanted to "challenge preconceptions and prejudices" about faith in young people and "demonstrate the positive impact of religion in modern society". Zohra Khaku, the director of the charity, believed that it is "heartening" to see a positive portrayal of Islam in a character amidst a time where the religion is negatively portrayed.

Reception

Rory Stroud was nominated as "Best Young Actor" at the 2013 Inside Soap Awards. A reporter from the EastEnders website said "We feel for cute-as-a-button Bobby Beale, whose home life is about as stable as Kim Fox in stilettoes after ladies' night at R&R." Meanwhile, Eliot Carrington was nominated for 'Best Bad Boy' and 'Best Young Actor' at the 2015 Inside Soap Awards.
In September 2013, Stuart Heritage of The Guardian newspaper said that the character should be axed because Stroud "can actually act. He can speak in full sentences and walk around and stuff. That's not who Bobby Beale is. Bobby Beale should be mute and confused by everything, just like he was when Alex Francis played him."